What is a marine incinerator?
A marine incinerator (ship incinerator) is a machine that is used to burn solid and liquid waste produced on board a ship. Ship incinerators are designed to burn waste at high temperatures, which helps to destroy harmful pollutants. Features and benefits of a marine incinerator include:
- Reduce waste volume - can reduce the volume of waste by up to 90%; this reduces the amount of space that waste storage requires on board ships.
- Reduce environmental impact - marine incinerators reduce the environmental impact of ships by destroying harmful pollutants in waste, whilst also reducing the amount of waste that may be discharged into the ocean (which should not occur!).
Ship incinerators typically consist of a combustion chamber, a flue gas scrubber, and a stack. The combustion chamber is where the waste is burned. The flue gas scrubber removes pollutants from the flue gas before they are emitted into the atmosphere. The stack is a vertical pipe that carries the flue gas away from the ship (it is similar to a chimney).
Ship incinerators are operated in a variety of ways. Some incinerators are manually operated, while others are automated. Manually operated incinerators require the operator to load the waste into the combustion chamber, ignite the waste, and monitor the combustion process. Automated incinerators can load the incinerator, monitor the combustion process, and make adjustments as needed, without human intervention; this saVRee 3D model represents an automated incinerator.
Ship incinerators are subject to strict regulations to ensure that they are operated safely and environmentally responsibly. These regulations are set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). IMO regulations specify the types of waste that can be burned, the emission limits that must not be exceeded, and the operating procedures that must be adhered to.